The UK’s Culture Secretary has recently launched a new Digital Strategy, which intends to create a world-leading digital economy that works for everyone. Businesses have played an important role developing the strategy, which contains the following key announcements:
- Infrastructure: The Government will continue to pursue its goal of rolling out 4G and superfast broadband by 2020, and aims to introduce free Wi-Fi on trains and in more public places. The Government intends to commit £1 billion towards next-generation infrastructure such as 5G and a full fibre network.
- Skills: Free training to be provided on basic digital know-how. A new Digital Skills Partnership will be set up to identify and help to fill digital-related job vacancies. Coding will also form part of the national curriculum going forward.
- Economy: £13 million commitment to fund a Productivity Council charged with driving engagement with business and improving productivity across the economy, including through appropriate use of digital technologies.
- Digital Sector: The Government will work towards ensuring that regulation is favourable to the adoption of new technologies, including AI.
- Security: The National Cyber Security Centre will provide a single point of contact for cyber-security matters. The Government aims to increase education efforts in relation to cyber-security.
- Public Sector: Work is ongoing to develop single cross-government platform services and to use digital services to increase efficiency, for example where police officers can use biometric applications to match fingerprint and DNA from crime scenes.
- Data: Implementation of the EU General Data Protection Regulation by May 2018. The Government also aims to improve the way in which it collects, manages and shares Government data, including the appointment of a Chief Data Officer.
A copy of the Digital Strategy paper can be found here.